December 2010

12/30/2010

SAN DIEGO - Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced a $2.4 million settlement with the perpetrators of an illegal scheme that threatened thousands of companies throughout California with fines or even suspension of their right to conduct business if they failed to return official-looking but fraudulent forms along with a mandatory filing fee.

"These imposters used phony documents that appeared to originate from a government office to gain payment from law-abiding businesses," Brown said. "This settlement puts a stop to their scheme and secures restitution for the companies that were cheated."

The civil settlement filed in San Diego Superior Court names Annual Review Board, Inc.; Business Filings Division; Corpfilers.com, LLC; George Alan Miller; Rebecca J. Miller; Argishti Keshishyan, and Kristina Keshishyan. The settlement requires the defendants to make restitution of $1,750,000 to customers and pay an additional $650,000 in penalties and costs to the state.

To preserve the defendants' assets, the Attorney General moved successfully last year to freeze their bank accounts.

The bogus operation constitutes what is known as a corporate filing scheme. Solicited victims were told they had to pay a $195 filing fee accompanying return of the phony documents.

Brown's investigation found that the defendants, based in Los Angeles County, misled well over 5,000 customers into paying by utilizing phony forms that:

-Had an official looking seal -Used a "control number" -Had a "Corporation Number" or "LLC Number" -Used official sounding titles and names, such as "Corporation Division", that implied a governmental connection -Specified a "due date" and employed the phrase "Remit Immediately!" -Described the payment as an annual fee -Warned that failure to respond could lead to the recipient being suspended and losing its right to conduct business

The investigation was triggered by a flood of complaints to the Attorney General's office from businesses that had been victimized. The scheme flourished because the forms seemed routine and the payments demanded were small.

As part of the settlement, the defendants are permanently enjoined from making fraudulent representations. Brown urged businesses to be vigilant against similar scams.

Restitution will be handled by a claims administrator who will be named by the Attorney General's office. More information will be available on the Attorney General's website at http://ag.ca.gov/.

This is the latest settlement of eight actions the Attorney General has prosecuted against corporate filing schemes. In a case tried in San Diego Superior Court last year, Brown won a $1.2 million judgment against Gaston Muhammad and Ronna Green for running a corporate filing scheme that swindled California companies.

12/29/2010

SANTA ANA - A high school Spanish teacher will be arraigned tomorrow for having an unlawful sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student, whom he would meet in an Orange riverbed for sex. Scott Adrian Peterson, 48, Anaheim, is charged with two felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, four felony counts of oral copulation of a minor, and two felony counts of sexual penetration by foreign object of a minor. If convicted, he faces maximum sentence of seven years and eight months in state prison. Peterson is out of custody on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

Peterson is accused of meeting 17-year-old Jane Doe, a student at Orange High School, while working at the school as a Spanish teacher. He is accused of grooming the victim by spending time with her outside of school at Disneyland and other social events.

Beginning in April 2010, Peterson is accused of having an unlawful sexual relationship with Jane Doe. He is accused of sending her sexually explicit text messages about the unlawful sexual relationship and taking sexually explicit photos of him with her. He is accused of having intercourse with Jane Doe and engaging in oral copulation and digital penetration. He is accused of regularly meeting Jane Doe at a motel and in an Orange riverbed to engage in the unlawful sex acts.

A family member of the victim became suspicious of the relationship between the defendant and Jane Doe and discovered the sexual text messages on the victim's phone. The family member told Jane Doe's mother, who reported it to the Orange Police Department (OPD).

Following an investigation, OPD went to arrest Peterson and learned that he was at the riverbed. Upon arriving at the riverbed, officers located Jane Doe's car. The victim came out of the riverbed shortly after officers arrived, but was not contacted by police at that time. Peterson is accused of leaving the riverbed minutes later and was arrested at the scene.

Anyone with additional information or who believes they have been a victim is encouraged to contact Leslie Franco at (714) 744-7572 or Supervising District Attorney Investigator Randy Litwin at (714) 347-8794.

Deputy District Attorney Katherine David of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.

12/22/2010

SANTA ANA - A woman was charged today for shooting at responding police officers after calling 911 and initiating stand-off. Brinda Sue McCoy, 47, Cypress, is charged with five felony counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm on a peace officer and two felony counts of discharging a firearm with gross negligence with sentencing enhancements for the personal discharge of a firearm. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 58 years in state prison. The defendant is being held on $250,000. McCoy's arraignment date and time are to be determined.

At approximately 7:00 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2010, McCoy is accused of calling 911 and stating she needed assistance. Responding Cypress Police Department officers attempted to get McCoy to come out of her residence. McCoy is accused of refusing to leave her house, pointing a firearm at her head, and then at the ceiling before pointing it directly at officers outside. Police warned the defendant that if she fired her weapon, she would harm police officers. McCoy is accused of firing the gun twice at police officers who were stationed behind two parked vehicles outside the defendant's home. SWAT stopped McCoy using a bean bag gun.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Rebecca Olivieri of the Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.

SANTA ANA - A drunken driver was sentenced today to 51 years to life in state prison for murdering three people, including a Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball player, and injuring a fourth victim in an early-morning car crash. Andrew Thomas Gallo, 23, San Gabriel, was found guilty by a jury Sept. 27, 2010, of three felony counts of murder, one felony count of fleeing the scene of a traffic collision involving death or permanent injury, one felony count of driving under the influence causing injury, and one felony count of driving with a .08 percent blood alcohol causing injury. The sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury against Jon Wilhite were found true. Gallo has a prior San Bernardino County conviction for driving under the influence in 2006 and was on probation for this conviction at the time of the crash.

"Before drinking, set up a plan to have a sober driver. If you make the decision to drink and drive, we will make the decision to charge you with vehicular manslaughter or murder and you may spend the rest of your life in prison. During this holiday season, think about the pain on the victims' families' faces before you drink and drive," stated District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. "I formed the Vehicular Homicide Team in 2008 to deal with this serious problem. Since then, we have obtained 49 vehicular death convictions, 13 of which were second degree murders and serving life sentences."

At approximately 12:23 a.m. on April 9, 2009, Gallo was speeding in a minivan at approximately 65 mph in a 35 mph zone while under the influence of alcohol, on probation, and driving on a suspended driver's license. The defendant's license had been suspended due to a prior conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol. Gallo's 21-year-old step-brother was the passenger in the minivan. Gallo was driving eastbound on Orangethorpe Avenue in Fullerton and ran through a red light, crashing into a Mitsubishi that was legally passing through the intersection, pushing it into a third car. The driver of the third car sustained minimal injuries with moderate damage to his car.

Gallo murdered three people in the crash and seriously injured a fourth. The three murdered victims include 22-year-old Nicholas Adenhart, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim playing in his fifth professional season, 20-year-old Courtney Stewart, a student and former Titans cheerleader at California State University, Fullerton, and 25-year-old Henry Pearson, a law student working toward becoming a sports agent. The fourth victim, 24-year-old Jon Wilhite, a former player for the Titans baseball team, was critically injured. He is now in stable condition.

After crashing into the victims' car, Gallo fled the scene on foot. He was arrested less than 30 minutes later approximately two miles away on the shoulder of State Route 91 by officers from the Anaheim Police Department. When contacted by officers, Gallo attempted to flee again and run from the police. Two hours after the crash, Gallo had a blood alcohol level of .19 percent.

During the trial, the defense argued that Gallo did not have specialized knowledge of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol. The People presented evidence that Gallo had been involved in an alcohol-related single-vehicle crash in 2005, for which he was convicted of driving under the influence in 2006. As a result of that conviction, Gallo signed in his guilty-plea waiver of rights form an acknowledgement that he could be prosecuted for murder if he killed someone while driving under the influence of alcohol. He was also ordered as a result of that conviction to reside in a men's residential Christian rehabilitation facility, where he was counseled about the dangers of drinking and driving.

Victim Impact Statements
During the sentencing today, Stewart's father Christopher explained, "The brutal death of my beautiful daughter Courtney Stewart has forever changed my life. I have lost everything. I have sought no help because I know there is nothing anyone can ever tell me or do for me to bring her back."

Stewart's mother Carrie Stewart-Dixon told the court, "From the moment I got the most devastating phone call of my life, my life changed forever. I will never be the same. Courtney was not only my only child, she was my best friend. She was a compassionate person. She was always for the underdog. She lit up a room every time she walked in. She loved everybody and had no hate in her heart."

Stewart's grandmother, Marylen Hart, stated, "Losing [Courtney] has been the most painful experience of my life. I could never have imagined that our family would ever have to experience such a shocking loss. Life without her is almost unbearable."

Pearson's mother Areta Pearson told the court that her son positively impacted everyone he met and was loved dearly by his friends. She said his death was a loss for everyone that will not have the opportunity to meet him.

Pearson's sister Jessica Pearson's said that her brother was her other half and she expected to spend their lives enjoying each other's successes, marriages, children, and even failures. She explained that she never thought that the brother that was always there for her would one day be gone forever.

Pearson's father Nigel Pearson read two cards his son had sent him to the court to show how much Pearson loved his family, to give his son a voice, and so that the court could hear his words.

Wilhite's mother Elizabeth Wilhite said, "Jon had to learn to walk, talk, swallow, and eat. All the things we take for granted, Jon had to learn. His life before the crash was very active. He will never be able to turn his head to look up at the moon or to play baseball, which he loves so much. But he takes it in stride. Jon is the strongest person I know. He's our hero and didn't deserve what happened to him."

Wilhite's brother Chad Wilhite stated, "Gallo has proven that he will drink and drive and I believe he will do it again. He ruined an unimaginable amount of lives all in one night. He should be held accountable for what he did."

Jon Wilhite wrote a statement that was read to the court on his behalf that explained how his life is forever changed. He said that he believes Gallo should be severely punished for taking Courtney, Henry, and Nick, who he thinks about every day.

A written statement was submitted to the court by Adenhart's family. Duane, Janet, and Henry Gigeous wrote, "Our pain is not a state of being but a condition of life. We live with this hole in our family, our heart, our belief and our lives. No amount of words will ever fill that hole or in any way replace the loss of our dear Nick. Nick was beautiful. That phrase describes him best."

This case was investigated by the Fullerton Police Department and prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Susan Price of the Orange County District Attorney's Office Homicide Unit.

12/16/2010

SANTA ANA – A parolee was convicted today of abusing an 8-pound puppy by using a leash as a lasso to swing it by the neck during an argument with his girlfriend in a Walmart parking lot. Verne Joseph Strong, 57, Newport Beach, pleaded guilty to a court offer to one misdemeanor count of animal abuse by a caretaker.

Over the objection of the People, the Court reduced the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor, therefore eliminating the sentencing enhancement for a prior prison conviction for second degree commercial burglary, for which he is on parole. Based on the defendant’s criminal record, the People advocated for a state prison sentence. Strong was sentenced over the objection of the People to 317 days in jail, for which he received 317 days credit for time served. He was also sentenced to three years of informal probation and ordered to pay restitution to the animal shelter for the care of the puppy.

Strong’s girlfriend, Angel Marie Holmes, 37, Newport Beach, is charged with one felony count of accessory after the fact and faces a maximum sentence of three years in state prison. She failed to appear for her arraignment and there is a $25,000 warrant for her arrest.

At approximately 6:45 p.m. on July 11, 2010, Strong got into a verbal argument with his girlfriend, Holmes, in a Walmart parking lot in Westminster. During the argument, he opened the trunk of his Chevrolet sedan and pulled out an 8-month-old chihuahua-dachshund mix puppy, which had been locked inside.

Strong swung the 8-pound dog by the neck several feet off the ground using the leash in a lasso motion before throwing him to the ground. He then kicked the dog with force that caused the puppy to slide across the asphalt under the car. Strong retrieved the dog and got into the car with Holmes. Witnesses in the parking lot called 911. Westminster Police Officers arrived to find Strong and Holmes still parked in the Walmart parking lot, sleeping in their car.

As an officer approached the car window to make contact with the defendant, the puppy began to bark from inside the car. Strong slapped the dog in the head with a full swing of his arm, knocking the dog over and rendering him temporarily stunned and motionless as the officer watched from the other side of the window. Strong slapped the dog a second time before getting out of the car to speak with the officer.

Strong was arrested at the scene. When interviewed at the scene by officers, Holmes is accused helping Strong avoid prosecution by denying that Strong had swung or kicked the puppy and lying about the crime.

The puppy, Meanie, was taken to the humane society in Westminster for evaluation and treatment. Meanie is still in the care of the shelter pending resolution of the criminal case and has recovered.

12/15/2010

Five of 16 Defendants Charged in United States Have Now Pleaded Guilty for Roles in ‘Lost Boy’ Child Pornography Ring

Department of Justice, 12/14/2010

LOS ANGELES– A Georgia man pleaded guilty yesterday to transporting child pornography using a secret Internet bulletin board that allowed approximately three dozen members to trade thousands of images and videos of child pornography depicting young boys in sexually explicit situations.

Yesterday’s guilty plea is the result of an international investigation into the “Lost Boy” online bulletin board. Federal authorities, working in conjunction with a coalition of international law enforcement agencies, shut down the Lost Boy bulletin board approximately two years ago.

As a result of the investigation, 16 named defendants have been charged in the United States for their roles in the ring. To date, five defendants have pleaded guilty for their roles, and an additional two defendants are expected to plead guilty in the coming days. An additional eight defendants who are alleged to be Lost Boy members currently face federal charges – including engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, a crime that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison. Trial for these remaining defendants is currently set for April 26, 2011.

“The Lost Boy bulletin board allowed members to access pornographic images of hundreds of boys who were victimized for sexual purposes,” said United States Attorney André Birotte Jr. “The investigation by officials here in the United States, working in conjunction with their law enforcement counterparts around the globe, shut down an international child pornography ring and will hopefully bring some justice to the numerous victims. As a result of this investigation, authorities also discovered individuals who abused children, made their own child pornography and shared their disturbing product with others on the Internet.”

Steven Martinez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, stated:

“The Lost Boy case represents a global subculture that exists for the purpose of trading of child pornography and other tools used to sexually exploit children. The FBI and our partners in Los Angeles and globally will continue to work together to identify these networks and to pursue charges against those who abuse children.”

United States Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer commented: “Through unprecedented cooperation with foreign law enforcement partners, we have brought down a global online group whose principal purpose was to victimize children. The members of the ‘Lost Boy’ bulletin board used sophisticated vetting procedures to facilitate the sexual abuse of children and enable its users to produce and share child pornography, while also developing a handbook on how to groom potential victims. We are committed to pursuing these perpetrators wherever they are through international investigations and prosecutions like the one we are highlighting today.”

David Michael Fagerness, 44, pleaded guilty yesterday in United States District Court to conspiracy to transport child pornography. Fagerness, of the Atlanta area, relocated to the Czech Republic after being convicted of possessing child pornography in Florida state court in 2005. Fagerness faces a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence when he is sentenced on June 6, 2011.

In addition to Fagerness, four individuals have previously pleaded guilty for their roles in Lost Boy. They are:

Andrew Neil Scott, 30, of Flint, Michigan, who pleaded guilty on December 2 to one count of participating in a child pornography enterprise and two counts of producing child pornography. According to court documents, Scott admitted to participating in Lost Boy, as well as to molesting two boys and producing child pornography. In his plea agreement, Scott agreed to be sentenced to at least 25 years in prison and to a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Anthony Jasso, 46, of Laguna Beach and Redlands, who pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to advertise child pornography, a charge that carries a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. Court documents describe Jasso as belonging to a southern California club called "Boy Lovers," whose members gathered to watch child erotica and to attend events involving children.

Justin Lee, 33, of Phoenix, who pleaded guilty in September 2010 to transporting child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison.

Woodrow Tracy, 65, of Sun Valley, who pleaded guilty in September.

According to court documents, law enforcement authorities discovered the Lost Boy bulletin board after receiving information from Eurojust, the judicial cooperation arm of the European Union. Eurojust provided U.S. law enforcement with leads obtained from Norwegian and Italian authorities indicating that a North Hollywood man was communicating with an Italian national about child pornography and how to engage in child sex tourism in Romania. Acting on the information from Europe, the FBI executed search warrants that led to the discovery of the Lost Boy network. According to court documents, further investigation revealed that Lost Boy had 35 members, 15 of whom were U.S. nationals. Other members of the network were located in countries around the world, including Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany and New Zealand.

The Lost Boy bulletin board, according to court documents, was dedicated to men who have a sexual interest in young boys and was established to provide a forum to trade child pornography. Lost Boy is alleged to have had a thorough vetting process for new members, most of whom had to post child pornography to join the organization. Once accepted, members had to continue to post child pornography to remain in good standing and not be removed from the board. According to court documents, Lost Boy members advised each other on techniques to evade detection by law enforcement, which included using screen names to mask identities.

Court documents show that the Lost Boy bulletin board had a forum called the “Handbook Project,” where members read and contributed to a grooming handbook, which was a guide for adult men on how to find and groom boys into engaging in sex, how to deal with physical aspects of sexual contact, and how to move on to other victims when the current victim grew too old to be attractive.

“It’s not just child pornography; these lewd images are crime scene photos. No other crime is more repugnant, no victim more innocent,” said B. Bernard Ferguson, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Los Angeles Division.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca said: “American police, in fact police worldwide, must work together as a team to pursue these international predators. This case shows we certainly can and do.”

Through the Lost Boy investigation and related investigations, law enforcement authorities in the United States identified and arrested 15 alleged Lost Boy members, as well as approximately six more men who have been charged with child molestation. The investigation also led to the identification of 27 domestic victims of child abuse, some of whom were portrayed in images posted to the Lost Boy bulletin board.

International law enforcement efforts involving European law enforcement, the Brazilian Federal Police and other agencies have identified child molestation suspects in South America, Europe and New Zealand. Three suspects in Romania, one in France, and another in Brazil have been charged, and offenders have been convicted in Norway and the United Kingdom. Law enforcement efforts have also identified dozens of child victims located in Norway, Romania, Brazil and other nations.

The investigation into the Lost Boy bulletin board is an ongoing effort by the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, in conjunction with the Los Angeles-based Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Team. The High Technology Investigative Unit of the U.S. Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), along with Eurojust, have provided invaluable assistance during the investigation.

The SAFE Team in Los Angeles is comprised of the FBI, the United States Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the California Department of Justice, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Police Department.

The Lost Boy case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joey L. Blanch (213-894-3315), Assistant United States Attorney Yvonne Garcia, and CEOS Trial Attorney Andrew McCormack.

SANTA ANA - An attorney has been charged with stealing $117,000 from a widow after representing her in a case regarding her late husband's life insurance policy. The money had been deposited into a client trust account as mandated by law. Redmond Peter McAneny, 55, Huntington Beach, is charged with one felony count of grand theft by embezzlement with a sentencing enhancement for property damage over $65,000. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison. McAneny was arrested today by Orange County District Attorney's Office (OCDA) Investigators. The People will request he be held on $250,000 bail at his arraignment in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The date and time are to be determined.

In 2008, McAneny is accused of representing widow Debbie S. in securing her late husband's life insurance proceeds. The victim and her husband had been going through a divorce and he had changed the terms of his trust before his death, leaving it unclear if his wife or son would receive his life insurance benefits. A settlement was reached to divide the insurance policy in half, and a check for over $117,000 was issued to a trust fund account for Debbie S. on July 10, 2008.

On July 15, 2008, after depositing the check into his client trust fund account, McAneny is accused of stealing the $117,000 from Debbie S. and depleting the trust account by writing himself numerous checks with no reference to any case. McAneny is accused of failing to pay the victim any of her settlement.

This case was investigated by the OCDA and State Bar of California.

Deputy District Attorney Lynda Fernandez of the Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.

GLENDALE – A 20-year-old Tujunga woman accused of killing an elderly pedestrian in the course of texting while driving is expected to be arraigned this afternoon, the District Attorney’s Office announced.

Ani Voskanian (dob 2/9/90) is charged with one felony count of vehicular manslaughter in case No. GA081951. Voskanian is due to be arraigned in Department 1 of Glendale Superior Court.

Voskanian allegedly struck victim Misak Ranjbar, 80, on Sept. 15, 2010 while driving a vehicle in the commission of an unlawful act. The victim died as a result of his injuries.

The case was filed for warrant on Dec. 9. The recommended bail for Voskanian is $50,000.

Starting today, I am changing the Office's policy and procedure by publiclyproviding the factual findings and legal conclusion after conducting ourofficer-involved shooting and custodial death investigations.

Our decision to change our policy began when Chief John Welter of theAnaheim Police Department came to me requesting the OCDA include factualfindings and more information in our letter to police departments concludingthe Office's investigation of officer-involved shooting and custodial deathcases. With the buy-in from all police chiefs and the Orange County Sheriff,we have been working together to come up with a protocol which balances thepublic's right to know the facts behind the discharge of police officers'weapons, facts behind deaths of persons under police custody, and policeofficers' legal rights and safety concerns.

INVESTIGATIONThe OCDA's procedure when conducting investigations and arriving at thelegal conclusion will remain the same. The OCDA Bureau's Special AssignmentsUnit (OCDASAU) responds within minutes to the scene and investigates amajority of all officer- involved shootings and custodial deaths that occurin Orange County. OCDASAU is responsible for investigating officer-involvedshootings within Orange County when someone has been killed or injured bypolice gunfire and when someone dies under police custody.

An OCDASAU Investigator is assigned as case agent and supported by otherInvestigators from the Unit and other units. There are six full-timeInvestigators assigned to OCDASAU. There are 25 additional OCDAInvestigators assigned to other units trained to assist when needed. Onaverage, eight investigators respond to the incident within an hour of beingcalled and perform a variety of investigative functions includinginterviewing witnesses, canvassing neighborhoods, processing crime scenes,collecting evidence, and processing vehicles. OCDASAU audio record allinterviews and physical evidence is processed by the Orange County CrimeLab.

Following OCDASAU's conclusion of an investigation, the file is turned overto a deputy district attorney for legal review. A veteran deputy districtattorney of the Homicide or Gang Unit reviews the case for criminal filingin fatal officer-involved shootings and custodial deaths. A veteran deputydistrict attorney of the Special Prosecutions Unit reviews non-fatalofficer-involved shooting investigations for criminal filing. Throughoutthis process, consultation between the reviewing prosecutor and his or hersupervisor occurs, and an assistant district attorney will review theirlegal conclusion and the resulting memo. Often, the case may be reviewed bymultiple veteran prosecutors including the senior assistant districtattorneys, Chief of Staff, and me. The case may be sent back for furtherinvestigation if necessary.

The OCDA will conduct an independent and thorough investigation of the factsand circumstances of this event and impartially review all availableevidence and legal standards. The scope of this review and findings areexpressly limited to a determination of whether or not any criminal conductoccurred. The OCDA will not be addressing policy, training, tactics or civilliability.

Each year, OCDASAU conducts an average of 14 custodial death and 16officer-involved shooting investigations. These complex and time-consuminginvestigations require conducting numerous interviews, completing detailedreports, analyzing evidence, coordinating with involved agencies, andsubmitting all reports and materials for legal review.

LEGAL CONCLUSIONSPreviously, a short letter was sent following the completion of a factualfinding and legal conclusion to the chief of the involved police departmentstating whether the OCDA was filing criminal charges. The letter stated theOCDA's legal finding without detailing factual findings. On occasion, theOCDA would conduct informational sessions with the media and public andprovide additional facts regarding the investigation.

As of today, evidenced by the letter involving the shooting of Colby Koenigin 2010 by officers from the Laguna Beach Police Department, the OCDA willbe sending a letter to the police department detailing OCDA's investigation,methodology and overview of the procedures employed, evidence examined,witnesses interviewed, factual findings, legal analysis, and legalconclusion determining whether there was criminal culpability by the officerinvolved in the shooting. The letter titled "OCDA OIS Report (LBPD01-12-2010)" is available at www.orangecountyda.com.

If the OCDA had filed a criminal filing against anyone involved in theincident, the factual findings will not be made public until the end of thetrial and/or sentencing.

I hope this new format will foster greater accountability and transparencyin law enforcement and develop greater public confidence and understandingin the integrity of the process.